Scientific advances in the fight against breast cancer
As part of World Breast Cancer Day, celebrated on October 19 of each year, the ACCDIS Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases has dedicated its online seminars to addressing various topics related to this pathology, which is one of the leading causes of death in the world and in Chile.
Breast cancer is the most treated in our country and is one of the diseases that has been increasing in younger people. According to data delivered by the World Health Organization's Global Cancer Observatory, until 2018 there were more than 5000 new cases of breast cancer per year and more than 1500 deaths in Chile, the product of this disease.
All women are susceptible to developing breast cancer and according to studies 70% have no identifiable risk factors, which makes self-examination and early diagnosis the key to detecting it early.
In this context, it is of great importance the scientific work carried out by researchers in our country to reduce the mortality rate of this disease. Currently, the team of researchers led by Dr.. Lorena Lobos, ACCDIS and the Center for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Development work on the evaluation of a protein called "Lactadherin" and its relationship to tumorigenicity and metastesis in breast cancer.
"Ten years ago, it was described that within breast milk appeared micro vesicles also recognized as fat granules and within them is a protein called Lactadherin, which has a very important role when transmitted to the guaguas during lactation, thanks to its role as an immunomodulator and antiviral, However, based on discoveries from 1990 to date, it has been described as an overexpressed protein in breast tumors," explained Dr.. Lobos, adding that when women have their breasts in a normal unbreastfeeding state, this protein is at very low levels, but when nodules growth occurs from some breast tumor, protein increases, i.e. the abundant presence of Lactadherin in women who are not nursing has been considered an important marker of tumorigenicity, and has even been described as a marker in other types of cancers such as melanoma and colon.
"Lactadherin protein is a contribution in breast milk but an alert for breast cancer", dr.. Lorena Lobos.
The research team is currently working in collaboration with Thomas Laboratory in Coyhaique Province- Aysén where nearly 70 women with breast cancer take their screenings. The idea of this challenge, that just begins is to know if the circulating micro vesicles in the blood of these patients have detectable levels of Lactadherin and investigate whether it would be possible to use this information as a diagnostic and/or prognostic tool in the evolution of breast cancer.
On the other hand, the doctor took the moment to emphasize "albeit in theory, all women over the age of 40 should have an annual mammogram, in parallel we must have self-care observing and perceiving abnormalities in our breasts, for example: if we have orange peel, Redness, Hardening, Dimples, Secretion, nipple decline, changes in the shape of the breast, lumps or masses, Recesses, growth of veins or skin erosions, we must immediately attend the medical check-up".
Less invasive diagnoses
During this virtual encounter, he also spoke to Dr.. César Sánchez oncologist at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile who explained the "Neadyuvance" model as a pre-surgery treatment for breast cancer.
"Obesity plays a very important role in the development of breast cancer", said dr.. César Sanchez
Through a scaner that dyes the tumor yellow, you can see which one will make the response of treatment to the disease, for example, if the tumor shrinks or if otherwise nothing happens. This model also helps minimize times, managing to have an answer in four or five months, explained Dr. Sanchez.
Through a scaner, red shows the tumor and after about four or five months it is not seen
To finish, Dr. Caesar stood out and made a call for awareness of the relationship between obesity and a worse prognosis with breast cancer. "At the hospital we run a database of approximately 7000 breast cancer patients, where obesity predominates in most of them".